The New Santa Monica?

http://www.laweekly.com/news/the-year-silver-lake-became-santa-monica-6396310

David Bowie
in.moviehas.xyz

Hello Everyone:

Before yours truly gets started on today's subject, Blogger just wanted to take a minute to observe the passing of David Bowie.  David Bowie was more than a rock star, he transcended it to become a cultural icon.  His presence was felt in every element of pop culture.  It is hard to imagine world without the Star Man.  Some people should never get sick and die.  David Bowie will live on forever.  He slipped off this mortal coil and entered the realm of the Immortals.

Silver Lake Reservoir
Silver Lake, California
blogs.kcrw.com

Today's post on the community of Silver Lake, California was inspired by the work of Karla and James Murray.  The Murrays are photographers who documented the disappearing family-owned shops in New York City.  They published the pictures in the book Storefronts (http://www.amazon.com).  With this in mind, Blogger looks to Hillel Aron and his recently L.A. Weekly article, "The Year Silver Lake Became Santa Monica," to guide us through the changing landscape of this Los Angeles community.  Mr. Aron focuses on the family-owned businesses that have given way to more high-end commercial and retail enterprises.  One could say that this is just progress but for Mr. Aron, the loss of these small businesses represent the end of what drew him and others to this community in the first place.

Sunset Boulevard through Silver Lake
mapio.com

Silver Lake's obituary could read like this: this past June, the Department of Water and Power began to slowly drain the Silver Lake Reservoir.  In 2011, the annual Sunset Junction street fair was suddenly canceled; years before that, the once free summer festival began to charge admission.  In 2012, Forbes Magazine declared Silver Lake "the hippest neighborhood in America."  Mr. Aron has lived in the community since 2002 and witnessed the changes that have taken place,  He writes "Yet 2015 feels like a watershed year for Silver Lake, which not only lost the water for which it is named (albeit temporarily), but two important, long-times fixtures: Algeria and Casbah Cafe."

Alegria
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
grub street.com

 Alegria was a Mexican restaurant that closed in July 2015 after 22 years in business.  Less than a month later, the more upscale Trois Familia occupied its space, in a rather unattractive strip mall that is home to the ubiquitous nail salon, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, K & C Donuts, and a Subway sandwich shop.  The Casbah abruptly closed about a month ago after the landlord raised the rent 140 percent.  The coffee shop had been in business for 20 years, holding its own on a block that would later become home to a trendy coffee emporium.  Mr. Aron writes, "It had a very nice atmosphere, OK coffee, not very good cookies.  I had no particular fondness for the Casbah but its sudden demise struck me as a telling moment for Silver Lake..."  You can read the owner's sad farewell note by clicking the link http://www.laweekly.com/news/the-year-silver-lake-became-santa-monica-6396310

Casbah Cafe
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
ohthepeopleyoumeet.com

The Casbah did not necessarily fall prey to the trendy coffee emporium.  Many family-owned coffee shops have served and thrived in each others's shadows.  However, both establishments represent competing philosophies.  The trendy coffee emporiums is a chain, and part of a corporation.

Yours truly has frequently said that places are organic, not static.  Blogger does not believe that neighborhoods should remain encased in amber-i.e. the way they were the day you moved in.  Yours truly also agrees with Mr. Aron's statement, "I dislike the argument that any time a white person moves into a lowish income neighborhood, it's gentrification."  Neighborhoods are fantastic when they feature a diverse collection of people and places.  The ever quotable Jane Jacobs said this over fifty years ago in her seminal book Death and Life of The Great American Cities (1961).  How wonderful is it to be able to enjoy $1.25 taco and a $5.00 cappuccino? Hillel Aron opines, "When a neighborhood starts to become unable to support businesses like the Casbah and Algeria, it becomes just another upscale neighborhood.  Silver Lake has become Santa Monica."

Silver Lake Ramen
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
walkscore.com

When Hillel Aron first moved to Silver Lake, he was able to find a studio apartment renting for the unheard of $480 a month, located at the top of Sunset Junction.  Now, the community is one two places, Downtown Los Angeles being the other, east of La Brea Avenue where rent for a one-bedroom is extremely overpriced. (http://www.zumper.com)  The prices are not likely to fall because of the flood of luxury units.  Mr. Aron reports, "Silver Lake's average rental price would actually be even higher than it is-if not for a ton of affordable old rentals occupied  by longtime residents..."  There are other signs of Silver Lake's Westside-ification.

The developers Frost/Chaddock have proposed a plan to build three very large apartment buildings, one of which would be located on the iconic Sunset Junction corner of Sanborrn.  This plan is moving forward despite neighborhood activists dashed hopes that the Silver Lake Music Conservancy would swoop in to save the day and buy the land from the developers.  The deal fell through in January 2015 and the Conservancy is moving to nearby Los Feliz.

Tang's Donuts and Sandwiches (abandoned)
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
web urbanist.com

  Perhaps the most ominous sign of going upscale is the announcement of a coming Whole Foods.  Really, a Whole Foods 365, an effort by the organic grocery giant to brand itself to younger less affluent consumers.  This spawned a fruitless petition to make the new market, an old school, more expensive Whole Foods (if that is possible).  Needless to say, it died on the vine and the Whole Foods 365 will occupy the space that once hosted a Ralph's Supermarket.  While we are on the subject of food, Mr. Aron is still mourning the loss of Tang's Donuts.

Vista Movie Theater
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
cinemasightlines.com

There are still plenty of wonderful small, family-owned businesses left in Silver Lake.  However, looking east of Millie's Cafe, there are signs of encroaching upscale commercial and retail establishments.  It has become increasingly apparent that this once haven for artists and performers has become too expensive to live and unable to maintain the diversity of businesses that once made it attractive to newcomers.  A sign of the times, in 2014 the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council voted in favor of a decree that "Silver Lake is not on the Eastside of Los Angeles."  Seriously.

Millie's Coffee Shop
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
foodgps.com